Improvement in electric signaling and recording apparatus



3Sheets--Sheeti.

' W. l. PHILIPS.

Electric Signaling and Recording Apparatus. N0. I64,()3IPatentedlunei,i875.

HE GRAPHIC C0. PHOTO -LITH.3S E41 PARK PLACLNY.

3Sheets--Sheet2. W. l. PHiLlPS. Electric Signaling and RecordingApparatus.

No. 164,031 Patentedlunei,1875.

47 AQM THE GRAPHIC C0.PHDTO -L TH.39&41 PARK PLAGLNX.

3Sheets--Sheet3. -W. J. PHILIPS.- Electric Signaling and RecordingApparatus. No. 164,031 I I Patentedlunehl875.

THE GRAPHIC COJHOTO -LlTH-39Bu4-1 PARK PLACZMY.

PATEN'I OFFICE.

\VILLIAM J. PHILIPS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

iMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC SIGNALING AND RECORDING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 164,031, dated June 1,1875; application filed April 28, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. PHILIPs, of the city of Philadelphia, inthe county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Electric SignalingApparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawing, and-to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

. This invention relates to municipal and district telegraphs, in whichsignal boxes or stations are arranged in a closed electric circuit, andprovided with a circuit-breaking device actuated by suitable mechanism,in such man nor that one or more arbitrary signals may be transmitted toa central or main station whenever such mechanism is designedly set inmotion, as by a person desiring to transmit a signal; and the presentinvention particularly relates to the combination with such signal-boxesand circuits of a means for automatically recording, upon a suitablesurface inclosed within or located near the transmitting-instrument, theexact time the signal is sent from the station, thus affording a checkupon the visits of a watchman. My invention therefore consists incombining a signal or alarm box with a time-piece or suitable machineryfor accurately moving a dial or surface, and a pencil or marking deviceso arranged in relation to the mechanism of the signal-box that wheneverthe latter is actuated or caused to transmit a signal a mark will bemade upon the dial or surface for future reference, and in certain othercombinations and devices for carrying into effect this main feature ofmy invention, all as more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In order that those skilled in the art may be enabled to make and use myinvention, I will describe in detail the method of carrying it intoefl'ect, reference being had to the accom pan yin g drawings, in which-Figure l is a view of the end of the box at which the signal apparatusis operated. Fig. 2 is a view of the other end of the box, showing thearrangement for recording the times of operating the signal mechanism.Fig. 3 is a side view, showing the devices for fastening the box inposition. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the box. Fig. 5 is a planview of the signal mechanism, taken in rear of diaphragm l 1, Fig. 4.

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that I make use of adouble-ended box, preferably of cylindrical form. It is divided intothree compartments, 2 3 4, by the diaphragms l and 5. lhe compartmentais provided with a cover, A, hinged at B, and in it is located the crankO, for operating the district alarmsignal mechanism, and a key, D, foruse as an ordinary Morse key.

In 3, the alarm-signal mechanism and its motor are located, the shaft Ethereof project ing through the diaphragm 1 into 4., where it receivesthe crank 0. Upon the shaft E is the spring F, which is compressed bythe rota tion of the crank O, to impart motion on its release to thetrain of gearing driving the circuit or break wheel F, the shaft andspring being connected to the gearing by the usual pawl and ratchet, asshown, and the speed of the gearing being controlled by an escapement. Gis the usual break-spring used in connection with the break-wheel. Onthe shaft E is a T-shaped arm, H, having one end' of the crossbar bentinto a hook, 02, against which takes the pin f, projecting from thewheel F, the two formingthe stop'for the wheel and gearing. Upon thecrank 0 being turned it carries the shaft E and arm H in the directionof the arrow until its motion is stopped by H taking against a stop. Onreleasing the crank, the shaft and arm are rotated in the reversedirection, while the breakwheel revolves in the direction of the arrowuntil it and fmeet. Upon one of the wheels, I, of this train is arrangeda pin, 1', which takes once in every revolution. of the wheel F againsta lever, K, fastened to a shaft, L, capable of vibration. A spring, a,serves to hold K normally in one position, and to restore it to suchposition after being actuated by the pin c. It is evident that, ifdesired, the lever K may be brought in front of the wheel F, and thestop-pin f thereof actuate the same. This lever L extends through theintermediate diaphragm 5, as shown in Fig. 4., and carries at (Notshown.)

its end an arm, M, formed of two parts, on m, united by a spring-slip,a, which gives elasticity to the whole arm. In the end of M is mounted alead-pencil or other marking device, (I. W'ith the lever K in its normalposition, as in Fig. 5, the normal position of (I, connected to andmoving with K, through L and M, is as shown in Fig. 2. In compartment 2is arranged any desired form of clock mechanism, N. Instead ofactuating-hands, this mechanism carries a disk, 0, covered with paper,or otherwise prepared to receive a mark, and divided off into hours andfractions thereof, as shown. It is secured to the central shaft of theclock-work by the knob I, and split friction-sleeve thereto attached, sothat it may be readily removed from or placed upon the shaft. Upon oneside of the disk is arranged a standard, Q, having abeveled upper edge,upon which slides a projection, 0, of the arm M, whereby, in its normalposition, the pencil d is held up and away from the disk. Now, it willbe readily seen that if the clock-work N be going, whenever the signalmechanism is actuated to turn in an alarm, or to report the presence ofa watchman, every time the break-wheelF revolves, the pin '5 will movethe lever K, which motion will be communicated throughL and M to thepencil d, causing it to mark upon the disk 0, as is shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2.

The exterior of the box is provided with two flanges, R S, one of whichis secured to or cast with the shell of the box, while the other ismovable thereon as a collar. Bolts U U, with suitable heads and nuts,unite these two flanges, thus securing the box in position in anaperture in any door or partition, V, as fully shown in Figs. 3 and 4.The end of the box containing the registering mechanism is provided witha cap, W, for the purpose of gaining access to the interior thereof.

As I propose to use this more especially as a time-check upon watchmen,who by it will not only register their visits at the place visited, butalso at a central or district office, so that any long silence on thepart of a watchman may be immediately inquired into, I will describe itsoperation for this purpose.

The instrument is placed in the door of a store or dwelling, in such amanner that the front or face is accessible only from the outside, andthe dial only from the inside. At a prearranged time-say six p. m.thecap covering the dial and time mechanism is removed by an authorizedperson. The movement is first wound up and started; then the dial isturned until the pencil or marking device is directly over the figure 6.The cap is then replaced, and the door of the building closed andsecured for the night, leaving the outside of the instrument aloneaccessible to the watchman, who, upon his arrival-say at 6.15 p.m.effects an entrance "to the signal mechanism by means of a key, and atonce proceeds to send a signal, notifying the central or district officeof his arrival. This is done by moving the crank downward, which windsup the signal mechanism. Upon releasing the crank the circuit or breakwheel at once revolves, and, before completing an entire revolution,causes the pencil or marking device to pass over the surface of the dialfrom a pointone-fourth of the distance between the figures 6 and 7toward the center of the dial, and is brought back to its originalposition by a suitable spring. The mark thus formed upon the dialindicates that the signal mechanism was actuated at 6.15 p. m. This isrepeated upon each return of the watchman, and thus an accurate recordis preserved of the watchmans visits for inspection on the followingday.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s

1. The combination, with an electric signaling or alarm mechanism, of arecording mechanism for registering at the transmitting-station the timeof transmittal of a signal therefrom, substantially as set forth.

2. The double-faced signal -box, provided with the signaling mechanismand the clockwork register, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the circuit-breaking wheel and motor-trainthereof, of a pencil or other marking-point of a registering mechanismand suitable connecting devices, substantially as set forth.

4. A double-faced signal-box, provided with the flanges It S and boltsU, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In the registering mechanism, the pencilarm M, composed of the rigidparts m m, united by a spring slip or piece, a, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

6. The combination, with the arm M, provided with projection e, of thestandard Q, provided with beveled upper edge orend, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. PHILIFsL" Witnesses:

JOSEPH WOOD, W. G. STEWART.

